A New Jersey couple's wedding day was ruined Thursday after a fire erupted at their banquet venue.
The flames broke out just before 6 p.m. at The Rockleigh, along Paris Avenue in Bergen County. According to the Northvale Police Department, the fire started in a boiler and quickly spread to the second floor, creating a heavy smoke condition inside.
Firefighters from 11 nearby departments responded, and everyone was able to get out of the building quickly and safely. Video shows black plumes of smoke coming up from the club. The fire was knocked down and under control in just over half an hour, police said.
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The florist hired for the nuptials, Yomaris Maldonado, documented on cellphone camera how quickly the excitement turned into panic, and showed the building as it was on fire. She was putting the finishing touches on the flower arrangements in and out of the building, as the couple was set to welcome 160 guests.
My team worked so hard to make sure this day was perfect for my client," Maldonado said. "I know how I feel and how bad I feel, I can't even imagine what the bride feels like."
Event planners hustled, and tried to move the evening wedding ceremony outside. Guests mingled in the parking lot for some time, before the bride and groom decided to reschedule their wedding — two years in the making — for a later date.
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No injuries were reported. The venue thanked first responders and said it would be closed to clients and the public, though it hoped to be "fully functional" by the end of the weekend. It was unclear what would happen to the events that were booked for Friday and Saturday night, however.
